Google search data may indicate need for Effexor in winter months

A recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that Google searches may indicate a link between certain mental illnesses and seasonal change.

A recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that Google searches may indicate a link between certain mental illnesses and seasonal change.

Researches analyzed Google's public search query database to monitor the input of search terms relating to several mental illnesses, some of which can be treated by Effexor. Data from 2006 to 2010 were collected and divided into particular disorders, depression included. Overall, the researches found that searches for mental health disorders are more prevalent in winter than summer.

Bipolar queries decreased by 16 percent during the summer in the United States. Searches relating to anxiety also declined during the summer by 7 percent.

The number of various illnesses found to have seasonal patterns surprised many medical professionals.

"We didn't expect to find similar winter peaks and summer troughs for queries involving every specific mental illness or problem we studied, however, the results consistently showed seasonal effects across all conditions - even after adjusting for media trends," said James Niels Rosenquist, M.D., Ph.D., a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Seasonal affective disorder
One mental illness that has long been associated with the weather is seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression that occurs in the winter.

According to the National Institutes of Health, SAD can first be seen in individuals during teen years as well as in adulthood. The source also says the condition is more commonly found in women, similar to most forms of depression. People living in areas that tend to have longer winters are at a higher risk for experiencing symptoms of SAD. However, there is a form of the illness that doctors have associated with the summer time.

One of the hallmarks of the condition is increased sleep among patients. This is different from other forms of depression in which a lack of sleep is a symptom. Increased weight gain and a lack of energy are also common signs that an individual has SAD.

Experts at the NIH say there are several ways to manage the condition. A lifestyle that centers around a healthy diet is recommended to decrease the severity of the symptoms. Also, getting an adequate amount of sleep is an effective way to combat SAD.

One of the best ways they say SAD sufferers can fight the illness is to educate themselves on how to properly take anti-depression medication.

Effexor is one such drug that is known to be effective in controlling various forms of depression. Look to purchase the product at a Canadian online pharmacy that offers pharmaceuticals at discounted rates.